In order to _this_, how many, and almost _innumerable_ have been their _Tryals_ and _Experiments_, through the large and ample Field both of _Art_ and _Nature_? We call our _Journals_, _Registers_, _Correspondence_, and _Transactions_, to witness; and may with modesty provoke all our _Systematical Methodists_, _Natural Histories_, and _Pretenders_ hitherto extant from the _beginning_ of _Letters_, to this _period_, to shew us so _ample_, so _worthy_ and so _useful_ a Collection. ’Tis a _Fatality_ and an _Injury_ to be deplored, that those who give us _hard words_, will not first vouchsafe _impartially_ to _examine_ these _particulars_; since all _Ingenuous Spirits_ could not but be abundantly _satisfied_, that this _Illustrious Assembly_ has not met so many _Years_ purely for _Speculation_ only; though I take even _that_ to be no ignoble _Culture_ of the _Mind_, or time mispent for Persons who have so few _Friends_, and slender _Obligations_, to those who should _Patronize_ and _Encourage_ them: But they have aimed at _greater things_, and _greater things_ produc’d, namely, by _Emancipating_, and freeing themselves from the _Tyranny_ of _Opinion_, _delusory_ and fallacious shews, to receive nothing upon _Trust_, but bring it to the _Lydian Touch_, make it pass the _Fire_, the _Anvil_ and the _File_, till it come forth perfectly _repurged_, and of consistence. They are not hasty in _concluding_ from a _single_, or _incompetent_ number of _Experiments_, to pronounce the _Ecstatic Heureca_, and offer _Hecatombs_; but, after the most diligent _Scrutiny_, and by degrees, and wary _Inductions_ _honestly_ and _faithfully_ made, to _record_ the _Truth_, and event of _Tryals_, and transmit them to _Posterity_. They resort not immediately to _general Propositions_, upon every _specious appearance_; but stay for _Light_, and Information from _Particulars_, and make Report _de Facto_, and as _Sense_ informs them. They reject no _Sect_ of _Philosophers_, no _Mechanic_ Helps, _except_ no _Persons_ of Men; but chearfully embracing _all_, cull out of _all_, and alone _retain_ what abides the _Test_; that from a plentiful and well furnish’d _Magazine_ of true _Experiments_, they may in time advance to solemn and established _Axiomes_, _General Rules_ and _Maximes_; and a _Structure_ may indeed lift up its head, such as may stand the shock of _Time_, and render a solid accompt of the _Phænomena_, and _Effects_ of _Nature_, the _Aspectable Works of God_, and their _Combinations_; so as by _Causes_ and _Effects_, _certain_ and _useful_ Consequences may be deduced. Therefore they do not fill their _Papers_ with _Transcripts_ out of _Rhapsodists_, _Mountebancs_, and Compilers of _Receipts_ and _Secrets_, to the loss of Oil and Labour; but as it were, _eviscerating_ Nature, disclosing the _Ressorts_, and Springs of _Motion_, have _collected_ innumerable _Experiments_, _Histories_ and _Discourses_; and